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No room at the inn for injured soldier

Thu Sep 04 02:38PM

A British soldier on leave after being injured in Afghanistan has been refused a room in a Surrey hotel just because he is in the army.

The BBC has reported that Corporal Tomos Stringer, 23, from Gwynedd in Wales, was visiting an injured friend near Woking when he was turned away from the Metro Hotel.

Corporal Stringer, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, was asked to provide a form of identification to book the room and when he presented his military pass he was told that it was management policy not to accept Armed Forces as guests.

Stringer, who injured his wrist falling out of a truck while coming under fire in Afghanistan, was forced to spend the night in his car.

He has now returned to Afghanistan but his mother, Gaynor Stringer, was so upset over the way he was treated by the hotel she wrote to MP Hywel Williams.

Mrs Stringer has also voiced her disappointment over how soldiers are treated in Britain compared to in the United States.

"We've been to America and their military get treated like heroes over there. I think it's terrible they [UK Armed Forces] can't even wear their uniform with pride."

Police were called to the hotel Thursday after the hotel's management claimed it had been receiving threatening and abusive phone calls.

A spokesman for Surrey police said: "Officers were called to the scene because of claims of abusive, offensive and threatening phone calls towards the Metro Hotel. We will monitor the calls to see if an offence has occured, if it has then we can trace the calls and further action will be taken."

The Metro Hotel, which is owned by American Amusements Ltd, has issued an apologetic statement saying the incident "was a mistake".

Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth has written to the Metro Hotel management demanding a more detailed explanation.

Comments51 - 60 of 1350

Brown speak out in defence of our armed forces? He can't even be bothered to turn up when the bodies of our troops come home.
An ex member of the RAF and proud of it.

From davidwindebank on Thu Sep 04 03:14PM
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Its amazing the British Armed Services are respected throughout the world and are considered the best.
The only place there are not respected is in the Country that they have sworn to lay down their lives for.
They are not allowed to wear their uniform in case it offends. PC and minority groups gone mad and the Government conforms to these groups.

From sjnelsonuk on Thu Sep 04 03:14PM
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What has our country become? it gets worse every day..now a decent young lad who is prepared to serve his country and risk his life (albeit for a worthless cause) cannot even get a hotel room in his native land..I hope we all boycott this Metro Hotel and support our Armed Forces..

From power999 on Thu Sep 04 03:14PM
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hope this makes the main news slots tonight, it will give the hotel a lot of publicity they deserve, the @#$%s

From johnallan965 on Thu Sep 04 03:14PM
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This is just a typical example of discrimination at its worst - there was a time where all types of business would fall over themselves to cater to "our forces personnel".

From annmorgan15 on Thu Sep 04 03:15PM
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Absolutely appalling! Surely this ranks as discrimination and as such should be a criminal offence. Surely we can do better than this, for those brave enough to put their lives on the line when their country demands it. The Metro needs to take stock and fast.

From toopb28 on Thu Sep 04 03:16PM
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its a disgrace.

From prasen23 on Thu Sep 04 03:16PM
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remind me again why brit soldiers are in a@#$%nistan, and please give me a example in history when a gorilla war like the one raging in afganistan has been won///

From suji786 on Thu Sep 04 03:16PM
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Why is the hotel allowed to discriminate against the armed forces? Is this hotel part of a chain or is it being run by someone with an ''axe to grind'.

From ericgowling on Thu Sep 04 03:19PM
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Tweeky, the loyalty oath taken is to serve "The Queen and her heirs" as the monarch is head of the armed forces. The only force exempt is the Royal Navy. Who needs special lessons? I am sure that your apology is accepted.

From debbrogan on Thu Sep 04 03:19PM
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